Relief For Sonko As Court Orders Unfreezing Of Bank Accounts

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has been reprieved after a magistrate ordered for unfreezing of five bank accounts belonging to him.

Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku has ordered the Assets Recovery Agency to immediately unfreeze the bank accounts stating that the agency failed to seek extension following the orders that expired.

Sonko’s bank accounts were frozen last month following graft charges.

“The agency was riding on expiry court orders. They should give approached the court for the extension as required by the law upon expiry of the December orders,” said Chief Magistrate Mutuku.

Read: Court Declines To Block Sonko From Appointing Deputy

In documents filed in court, the embattled city boss had stated that he was grounded and could not support his family neither could he withdraw his salary as Governor.

Sonko is said to have learnt of his accounts being frozen on December 24, through a court order dated December 11.

Ideally, in his defence, Nairobi County boss argued that there was no evidence linking the money in his accounts with graft charges levelled against him.

This follows the earlier application by the Assets Recovery, seeking to have the account frozen on grounds that the funds were proceeds of crime.

Read Also: Voi Court Drops Assault Case Against Governor Sonko

According to the agency, it was established that on October 5, 2019, the Governor’s bank accounts had received huge sums of money believed to have been proceeds of crime.

Sonko was arrested in Voi, Taita Taveta on December 6, over alleged misappropriation of Ksh357 million from county coffers.

@EACCKenya confirms that Nairobi City County Governor Mike Sonko Mbuvi has been arrested while escaping arrest at a road block in Voi and is being transferred to Nairobi to face charges of corruption and economic crime.

— EACC (@EACCKenya) December 6, 2019

He was arraigned on December 9, at Milimani Law Courts with a heavy presence of police officers.

He was however freed on Sh15 million cash bail and barred from accessing his office with the case set for a later hearing.